Compact floribunda rose variety ‘POULymp’

ABSTRACT

A new Floribunda rose plant which has abundant, bronze flowers and attractive foliage. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for year round production in commercial glasshouses. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Botanical classification: ‘Rosa hybrid’.

Variety denomination: ‘POULymp’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between an unnamed seedling and an unnamed seedling. The two parents were crossed and the resulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment. The new variety is named ‘POULymp’.

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent,, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. The unnamed seed parent's flowers are yellow, where those of         ‘POULymp’ are more golden bronze in color.     -   2. The growth of the unnamed seed parent is more vigorous than         that of ‘POULymp’.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, created by the same inventors, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. The unnamed pollen parent's flowers are yellow, where those         of ‘POULymp’ are a golden bronze color.     -   2. The growth of the pollen parent is more vigorous than that of         ‘POULymp’.

The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety for commercial greenhouse culture was to create a new and distinct variety with unique qualities, such as:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant flowers;     -   2. Vigorous and compact growth;     -   3. Year-round flowering under glasshouse conditions;     -   4. Suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots;     -   5. Durable flowers and foliage which make a variety suitable for         distribution in the floral industry.

This combination of qualities is not present in previously available commercial cultivars of this type and distinguish ‘POULymp’ from all other varieties of which we are aware.

As part of their rose development program, L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens N. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark. ‘POULymp’ was selected by the inventors as a single plant from the progeny of the hybridization in Fredensborg, Denmark, in the spring of 1996.

Asexual reproduction of ‘POULymp’ by cuttings and traditional budding was first done by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in their nursery in Fredensborg, Denmark in . This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of ‘POULymp’ are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration shows as true as is reasonably possible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typical characteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, stems, and a plant of ‘POULymp’. Specifically illustrated in SHEET 1:

1. Stem or entire plant showing branching and the attachment of leaves, buds, and peduncles;

2. Flower bud, partially opened bud, and open bloom;

3. Flower petals, detached;

4. Sepals, receptacle, and pedicel;

5. Flowering stem as well as a bare stem exhibiting thorns;

6. Leaves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a description of ‘POULymp’, as observed in its growth in glasshouses in Half Moon Bay, Calif. Observed plants are 3 months in age. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 1995, except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety ‘POULsail’, a Compact Floribunda rose variety from the same inventors described and illustrated in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/140,630 dated Aug. 26, 1998, are compared to ‘POULymp’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘POULymp’ ‘POULsail’ Bud Color, Orange-Red Red Group 39A ¼ Open Group 35A with to 43C. overlay of Greyed- Red Group 179 B-C. Open Yellow-Orange Red Group 41C. flower bloom Group 21C. color, upper petal surface. Open flower Orange-Red Red Group 41C. bloom petal Group 35C. color, reverse side.

-   Parents: Unnamed Seedling×Unnamed Seedling. -   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Rosa hybrid.         -   Commercial.—Floribunda.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Continuous. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—Upon opening, 32 mm-36 mm in length from base of             receptacle to end of bud.         -   Bud form.—The bud form is initially high centered, and             pointed. Once sepals drop/open half way, then bud is             cylindrical.         -   Bud color.—As sepals unfold, blend of Greyed-Red Group             179B-C and Orange-Red Group 35A. Blend of Greyed-Red Group             179C and Orange-Red Group 35A at ¼ opening.         -   Sepals.—Green Group 137A. Weak foliaceous appendages on             three of the five sepals. Surfaces of sepals slightly             pubescent. Few Stipitate glands are present. Distal ends of             sepals have foliaceous appendages. Sepals are 25 to 35 mm in             length and 10 to 13 mm wide.         -   Receptacle.—Surface: Smooth. Shape: Broadly funnel shaped.             Size: 7 mm (h)×8-9 mm (w). Color: Green Group 138 A.         -   Peduncle.—Surface: Smooth. Length: 50-70 mm average length.             Color: Green Group138 A. Strength: Upright.         -   Borne.—Generally with single buds per flowering stem. -   Flower bloom:     -   -   Fragrance.—Light Spice scent.         -   Duration.—As a pot plant, flowers last from 14 to 21 days.             As a cut flower to days. The blooms have a duration on the             plant of approximately to days.         -   Size.—Large for a 15 cm pot rose. Average flower diameter is             60-70 mm when open.         -   Form.—Cylindrical during opening.         -   Shape of flower when viewed from the side.—Upon opening,             upper part: Convex. Upon opening, lower part: Convex. Open             flower, upper part: Convex. Open flower, lower part: Flat.         -   Petalge.—Double. Average range: 25-30 petals under normal             conditions with 2-3 petaloids. -   Color:     -   -   Upon opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Upper Surface: Blend             of Yellow-Orange Group 20B and Orange Group 24C. Reverse             Side: Orange-Red Group 32 B-C. Innermost petals: Upper             Surface: Yellow Orange Group 19 A-B. Reverse Side:             Orange-Red Group 32B-C.         -   Upon opening, basal petal spots.—Outermost petals: Outer             Side: Yellow-Green 1C. Inner Side: Yellow-Green 1C to Yellow             Group 2A. Innermost petals: Outer Side: Yellow-Green 1C.             Inner Side: Yellow-Green 1C to Yellow Group 2A.         -   After opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Upper Surface:             Yellow-Orange Group 21C. Reverse Side: Orange-Red Group 35C             with intonations of Yellow-Orange 21C. Petals edges are             Yellow Orange 21 C. Innermost petals: Upper Surface: Blend             of Yellow Orange Group 20B and Orange Group 24D. Reverse             Side: Orange-Red Group 34D. After opening, basal petal             spots: Outermost petals: Outer Side: Yellow-Green Group 1C.             Inner Side: Yellow-Green Group 1C and Yellow-Green Group 2A.             Innermost petals: Outer Side: Yellow-Green Group1C. Inner             Side: Yellow-Green Group 1C and Yellow-Green Group 2A. -   General tonality: On open flower blend of Yellow-Orange Group 20B,     Orange Group 24C, and Yellow-Orange Group 21C. No change in the     general tonality at the end of 4-5 days. Afterwards, general     tonality is Orange Group 24B and Yellow-Orange 16B.     -   -   Petals.—Petal Reflex: Strongly reflexed. Petal Margin:             Slightly undulate and entire. Shape: Round. Petaloids: There             are 2-3 petaloids present. Thickness: Average. Arrangement:             Informal. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pollen.—Color: Greyed-Yellow Group 170C. Abundance: Average             abundance.         -   Anthers.—Size: 2 to 3 mm. Color: Greyed-Yellow Group             162B-Yellow 13B. Quantity: 30 to 35.         -   Filaments.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 1C. Length: 5 mm.         -   Stigmas.—Position: Level with the height of the anthers.             Quantity: 25 to 30. Color: Yellow-Green Group 145C.         -   Styles.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 145C with intonations of             Greyed-Red Group 181A. Length: 5 mm.

PLANT

-   Plant growth: Vigorous, compact, upright. When grown as a 15 cm pot     plant, the average height of the plant itself is 24 to 26 cm and the     average width is 26 to 28 cm. -   Stems:     -   -   Color.—Young wood: Green Group 137A-B. Older wood: Green             Group 137A-B.         -   Thorns.—Incidence: Few thorns. Size: Average length: 5             mm-6 mm. Color: Yellow-Green Group 149D. With anthocyanin             intonations of Greyed-Red Group 179C. Shape: Linear.         -   Surface.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.         -   Length.—Under typical greenhouse conditions, stem length is             30 to 35 cm. Internode length varies from 10 to 12 cm. -   Plant foliage: Normal number of leaflets on leaves in middle of the     stem: 5 leaflets, with a range of 3-7 leaflets.     -   -   Leaf size.—110-120 mm (l)×85-100 mm (w).         -   Abundance.—Above average.         -   Color.—Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group 137A-139A. Lower Leaf             Surface: Yellow-Green Group 147B-C.         -   Juvenile foliage.—Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group 143A-B.             Lower Leaf Surface: Yellow-Green Group 146B. Anthocyanin             intonation: Location: Underside leaflets, leaflet margins,             rachis & petiole. Color: Greyed-Red Group 179B. -   Plant leaves and leaflets:     -   -   Stipules.—Size: 8 mm-10 mm. Color: Green Group 137A.             Stipitate glands: Stipitate glands present on margins.         -   Petiole.—Length: 24 mm-26 mm. Color: Green Group 137A.             Underneath: Smooth. Margins: Stipitate glands present on             margins in limited numbers.         -   Rachis.—Color: Green Group 137A. Underneath: Generally             smooth, occasional prickles and stipitate glands. Margins:             Regular stipitate glands present.         -   Leaflet.—Edge: Serrated. Shape: Broadly ovate. Other: Glossy             and somewhat thick. -   Disease resistance: Above Average resistance to mildew, black spot,     and Botrytis under normal growing conditions in Jackson County,     Oreg., Burlington, Canada, and Fredensborg, Denmark. -   Cold hardiness: ‘POULymp’ has been found to be resistant to damage     from cold, heat and drought damage in USDA Zone 7. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Compact Floribunda rose, substantially as herein illustrated and described as a distinct and novel rose variety due to its abundant, bronze flowers, vigorous and compact growth, year round flowering under glasshouse conditions, suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots, and durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable for distribution in the floral industry. 